Definition
An in-flight occurrence during an Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards (ETOPS) flight that could affect the safe completion of the flight, such as an engine shutdown, loss of an essential system, diversion, or any unplanned event that reduces the aircraft's capability to continue under ETOPS rules. Operators are required to report and analyse these events to maintain ETOPS authorisation.
Plain English
On a long over-water or remote flight in a twin-engine aircraft, a Significant Event is anything that goes wrong with an engine or critical system that could make it harder to safely reach an airport. Airlines have to report and study every one of these events.
Context Anchor
Seen in ETOPS operations, maintenance records, airline safety reporting, and approval programs for long routes over water or remote areas.
Derivation
ETOPS originally stood for Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards. 'Significant' comes from Latin significare, meaning 'to make known' or 'to matter.' In this context, it identifies events that matter enough to report and investigate because they affect the safety margin ETOPS rules are designed to protect.
Why Pilots Care
Triggers specific diversion planning and regulatory reporting that directly affect flight safety and compliance.
Intuition Check
“Significant” does not mean merely noticeable or dramatic here. It means important enough under ETOPS rules to be tracked because it may affect safe long-range operation.
Example Sentence 1
An engine in-flight shutdown over the North Atlantic is classified as an ETOPS Significant Event and must be reported to the operator and regulator.
Example Sentence 2
Maintenance reviewed the previous flight's ETOPS significant event log before releasing the aircraft for another extended overwater leg.